Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (Episode 7) – Truck Stop of the Dead
Akira has found himself working for Kosugi once more and it’s literally killing him. Shizuka can only watch, but it helps her with a breakthrough of her own. Will that be enough to save Akira or his he going to be lost?
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead (Episode 7) – Truck Stop of the Dead
What did you watch?
After my recent mini-break, I was keen to catch up on all the episodes of Zom 100 that I had missed… Well, it turns out that I didn’t miss much. Delays have left this series several episodes behind schedule. I’ll never understand why they are releasing shows that they haven’t finished making yet. We saw a prime example of why that’s a bad idea with season two of The Promised Neverland where the animators gave up and the writing staff refused to be credited on the episodes. Surely, you animate a show and then release it. That will give you plenty of time to work on the next show. Anyhow, let’s talk about the episode instead of the bizarre work schedules of the animation industry…
What happened?
Akira was slowly breaking beneath the boot of Kosugi. One second, he was berating Akira, telling him was worthless and unable to fend for himself, and then he would tell him how he’s only hard on him because he sees potential. It’s classic manipulation tactics and Shizuka is all too familiar with them. Her father is a successful financier and he made it very clear to Shizuka that all she needed to do was be quiet and listen to what he says. He drilled into her the need to only do things that she needed to do to better her career or social standing. Everything else was a waste of time and effort.
Ironically, seeing Akira going through it opened her eyes to the suffering she had endured to appease her father who used very similar tactics to Kosugi. He even had her puppy killed because it was not of any use to her development. When Shizuka told him she wanted to be a doctor, he warned her that she would be open to being sued and not make much money. No, doctors and lawyers were things that people like them used.
When the time came for the group to move on, Akira told them that he wanted to stay and continue to work for Kosugi. Kencho couldn’t believe it, but Shizuka simply walked away. However, before she did, she made sure to tell everyone how she felt about Kosugi and how he contributed nothing to the lives of others. Then, she gave Akira his zombie bucket list with a thirty-seventh entry that she had added – tell off my horrible boss. That was the wake-up call Akira needed, however, there wasn’t much time to think about it as zombies got into the base.
What did you think?
I’ve not experienced anyone quite like Kosugi or Shizuka’s father so I can’t say how I would react, but I’d like to think I’m stubborn enough to walk away and cut them out of my life. Maybe things would have been different when I was younger… who knows? Anyhow, this was really hard to watch, especially when Shizuka started to relate it to her own life. However, that was the moment that really solidified her as a member of the group. It freed her from her risk analysis mindset and allowed her to embrace Akira’s lust for life. Well, almost. It was also wildly satisfying seeing Kosugi sitting on the floor as everyone politely left. That made it even funnier than him being eaten by a zombie or receiving a load of abuse, which he absolutely deserved.
What was your favourite moment?
I loved that Shizuka added an entry to the zombie bucket list and not just for herself. I don’t know if she’ll be able to tell her father off or not, but he was pretty much the horrible boss of her life. In doing so, I think she freed herself of her baggage which allowed her to really accept Akira and Kencho as her group. She’s spent so long denying that she was with them and has gone out of her way to point out she’s not like them, but that’s about to change… Not entirely, she’s still Shizuka, but a less uptight version and it’s all thanks to…
Who was the most impactful character?
Kosugi! However, not in the way he probably hoped. He was winning in his attempts to demoralise Akira and break his spirit, but that also showed Shizuka what she had been going through with her father. Like Akira, she knew it was bad, but their tormentors had the power. Her father controlled her home and living arrangements. Without him, she would have been homeless for sure and that left her needing to please him and do as he said. Kosugi had less power over Akira at this point, however, it shows that once someone gets the upper hand in a situation like this it’s hard to turn things around.
Was there any conflict?
The most amazing thing about this situation was that when Akira saved Kosugi and took care of the zombies, Kosugi still tried to take credit. He told the others that they should be more like Akira in his attempts to keep his hold over him going. The problem was the others saw him for what he was – a scared bully who forced others to do all the work. They all decided to leave, taking the supplies with them.
The best part about it was how they did it. No one yelled or called him names. They simply thanked him for the opportunity and left, leaving Kosugi with no way to respond or criticise them. That was beautifully done and while it would have been cathartic to see Kosugi face the real consequences, we have to accept that it wasn’t on Akira’s bucket list.
What have you learnt?
I mentioned in the last review how making connections is the key to storytelling. As a writer, you are trying to make the readers connect with the characters. The more similarities they see, the more invested in the story and the characters they become. I also pointed out how connections between characters can help reinforce those bonds. I loved that the connection between Akira and Shizuka grew from a shared experience, even if she didn’t have to reveal what that was to anyone. We know and that’s all that matters at this point.
Other posts in the series
- Manga
- Volume 1 – Akira of the Dead
- Volume 2 – Flight Attendant of the Dead
- Volume 3 – Truck Stop of the Dead
- Volume 4 – Hot Springs of the Dead
- Volume 5 – Hometown of the Dead
- Volume 6 – Hometown of the Dead Part 2
- Volume 7 – Suite of the Dead
- Volume 8 – Boredom of the Dead
- Volume 9 – Millionaire of the Dead
- Volume 10 – Geisha of the Dead
- Volume 11 – Cruise Ship of the Dead
- Volume 12 – Deserted Island of the Dead
- Volume 13 – Airsoft of the Dead
- Anime
- Season One
- Episode 1 – Akira of the Dead
- Episode 2 – Bucket List of the Dead
- Episode 3 – Best Friend of the Dead
- Episode 4 – Flight Attendant of the Dead
- Episode 5 – Hero of the Dead
- Episode 6 – RV of the Dead
- Episode 7 – Truck Stop of the Dead
- Episode 8 – Sushi & Hot Springs of the Dead
- Episode 9 – Treehouse of the Dead
- Episode 10 – Hometown of the Dead I
- Episode 11 – Hometown of the Dead II
- Episode 12 – Hometown of the Dead III
- Season One
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